Valve mechanism for pump suction-pipes.



T. ELLIOTT. VALVE MBCHAMSM POR PDM? SUGTION PIPBS. APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 1, 1912.

@tallied July 22, MHS.

lconnected for operation in conjunction with bnr sains riant @t0 THOMASnLLrOT'r,

D. onooKE'rr WASHINGTON.

OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNDR 0F ONE-THIRD TO SAMUEL AND ONE-THIRD TOHARLEY J. ARMSTRONG, BDTH 0F SEATTLE,

VALVE MECHANISM FOB. PUMP SUCTION-PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22,1913;

Application led .Tune 1, 1912. Serial No. 701,040.

To all 'whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that 1, THOMAS ELLIOTT, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of Kingand State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful1mproveniente in Valve Mechanism for Pump Suction-Pipes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to pumping apparatus, having more particularreference to apparatus of this character employed for pumping out sumps,or ,other pits or the like, and has for its primary object the provisionof mechanism through the medium of which the suction pipe isautomatically closed against intake of fluid.

A further object resides in the provision of auxiliary valve mechanismfor the suction pipe.

Other objects will be set forth as my description progresses and thosefeatures of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts onwhich I desire protection succinctly defined in my annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals ofreference indicate like parts throughoutz. Figure 1 is an eleva-- tionof my invention, installed as in use, a portion of the suction pipebeing broken away. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation with parts brokenaway,showing both valves in open position, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryelevation of the suction pipe and controllingvalves therefor inlmodified arrangement. j

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connect-ion withapparatus for pumping water from mines, excavations or other depressionsin the earth, and for the purpose of illustration, 1 have shown the sametwo drainage pits or wells 20`, 21.

Reference numeral 1 i dicates the suction pipe of a pump 2, as forexample, a centrifugal pump, the same `extending intoy pit or well 21and having abranch 1 'extending into well or pit 20. Said suction pipepro er and the branch 1 thereof are each provi ed with valve mechanismfor automatically controlling the intake of water. These valvemechanisms being identical in construction, a description of one will.suiiice Reference numeral 3 indicates a slide valve whose stem isconnected with a lever 4, fulcrumed at 4' and having its free slottedend portion connected with the ,rod 5 of a fioat G, which latter ispositioned externally of the suction pipe for raising and loweringmovement by the water in which the lower ond portion of said pipe issubmerged. Adjacent to valve 3 is a valve 'i' having its stem connectedwith the core of a solenoid 8 for raising or opening movement by thelatter, and for closing movement by gravit-y when said solenoid isdenergized.

Reference numeral 9 indicates an electric motor, for operating pump 2,and 12 the circuit wires thereof which lead to a suitable source ofelectrical energy, not shown. Sole noid S is connected by wires 11 tothe circuit wires 12, whereby, during operation of the motor, a portionof the current will be shunted to solenoid 8. As the water in pits orwells 20, 21 is removed, flo-ats 6 will lower and thereby close valves3, this occurring prior to the level of the water in the pits or wellsfalling below thelower ends of the suction pipes. When motor 9 isstopped, valves 7 close, as hereinbefore set forth, and remain so untilthe motor is again started, thereby preventing the Water in the suctionpipe escaping incident to the opening of valves 3, which obviouslyoccurs during refilling of the pits or wells.

1n Fig. 3 I have shown a modified construction wherein the suction pipe1 is provided with rotary valves, as 3', 7 the same being provided withfixed arms 18. connected with ioat 6 and with the core of solenoid 8respectively, as shown.

By my invention, which can be employed in conjunction with any number ofpits or wells, necessity of injecting or otherwise providing the pumpwith a priming charge is overcome, and further, as the various yalves 3are operated independent of one another, the same will automaticallyopen and close during the pumping operation in accordance with thesupply of water controlled thereby.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, 1s:--

1. 1n apparatus of the character described, in combination withthe pumpsuction pipe, a pair of valves for controlling the passage of {iuidtherethrough, a float externally of said pipe connected to one of saidvalves, and a solenoid having its core connected to the other of saidvalves for ating the same.

2. In apparatus of the character described, in combination with the pumpsuction pipe,

positively operada-pted to have its lower end submerged, aI

valve in said pipe, a float connected to said valve for operating thesame, a second valve in said pipe, and means for Operating said secondvalve arranged externally of said pipe and directly connected to thevalve for positively moving the same.

3. In apparatus of the character described, in combination with the pumpsuction pipe adapted tohave its lower end submerged, a

ently'of said first named valve arranged eX- ternally `of said pipe anddirectly connected to said second valve for positively moving the same.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a pump, a valve in the4suction pipe of said pump, anA electric motor for operating said pump,electrically controlled means for operating said valve connected incircuit with Said motor, a second valve in said pipe, and a floatconnected with said second valve for operating the same.

Signed at Seattle, Washington this 14th day of May 1912.

THOMAS ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN A. BROOKS, ARLITA ADAMS.

